Shanghai, China, Sept 19 (Alliance News): As Shanghai dazzles with its renowned light shows, a quieter but significant competition unfolds beneath the city’s bright lights: the race to master nuclear fusion energy.
Amidst the vibrant celebration of Chinese innovation, a small Shanghai-based start-up, Energy Singularity, is making headlines for its groundbreaking work in this field.
Nuclear fusion, the process that powers stars, holds immense potential as a nearly limitless source of clean energy.
However, replicating it on Earth has proven challenging. While several countries have achieved fusion reactions, maintaining them long enough for practical use remains elusive.
China is investing heavily in this technology, with an estimated $1 billion to $1.5 billion annually dedicated to fusion research, significantly outpacing US investments of around $800 million per year.
This financial commitment is complemented by rapid advancements; China has surged ahead in fusion patents since 2015, now leading globally.
Energy Singularity exemplifies this swift progress. Established only three years ago, the start-up has already built a tokamak—a sophisticated machine for conducting fusion experiments—more quickly than any previous attempt.
The company’s tokamak is the first to use advanced high-temperature superconductors, which enhance its performance and efficiency.
The company plans to build a second-generation tokamak by 2027 and aims to develop a third-generation device capable of feeding power to the grid by 2035.
This ambitious timeline highlights China’s aggressive strategy in the fusion energy race.
In contrast, the US faces challenges with its aging tokamaks and reliance on international facilities for research. Andrew Holland, CEO of the Fusion Industry Association, notes that American facilities are lagging behind.
The new $570 million CRAFT fusion research park in eastern China underscores the country’s commitment to advancing fusion technology.
The growing concern in the US is that China’s rapid progress, coupled with its strategic investments, may put it ahead in what many consider the next frontier of clean energy.
